Why a Podiatrist should be on your speed dial when you get HEEL PAIN!

Yes, heel pain is common. Your work colleague, your sister - they've probably had it too. But so what!!!

Heel pain can be darn PAINFUL! It makes you hobble like an 80 year old and can stop you from exercising. The thought of standing all day at work with heel pain is cringe worthy. Heel pain can even cause you to get tired and grumpy by the end of the day (& let’s face it - nobody wants to hang out with that person with the monkey on their back!)

So why put up with it??

Yes heel pain is common - in fact most adults will suffer a bout of heel pain across their adult life time. But this does not mean that it is not important and does not need to be treated. As a Podiatrist, I get tired of GP’s telling patients to put up with their heel pain – ‘it will eventually go away’. Why put up with pain for 3 months, sometimes 9 months, or in some cases for many years – when heel pain can be treated successfully, allowing you to enjoy a busy, active lifestyle?

As previously mentioned, heel pain is a very common condition - yet it can be quite COMPLEX in nature - where a 'one size fits all treatment approach' often fails. An accurate diagnosis is important to recommend the most suitable treatment plan.

Treatment for heel pain is often quite simple - especially if you seek treatment promptly. Often strapping to decrease the strain/load on the arch of the foot can give an immediate 50-70% reduction in pain!! Gentle exercises to warm the foot up after rest periods are very important. Certain shoes may help or exacerbate your heel pain.

So as you can gather, how one person responds to heel pain treatment may be very different to the next person. Podiatrists deal with foot and lower limb pain - every patient, every day. It is our bread and butter. At Foundation Podiatry Townsville we respect that all our patients are different. We utilise the latest treatment options with a personalised approach to help you become pain-free in the shortest time possible!